Today is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Amidst the media circus and profiteering (selling personal items recovered from the wreck - I ask you!), I will of course be remembering the 1504 people lost that night. With every disaster one hopes something will be learned so that the events are not repeated, but the oceans are an unpredictable and sometimes violent environment and the best preparation may occasionally not be enough. Rest in peace Titanic.
On a happier note I attended the South West Ship Show yesterday. It was very interesting and well attended, although there was not much on passenger liners - more naval and other merchant shipping information, memorabilia and societies. Some of the models were fabulous and I was particularly taken with some suberb dioramas of canal barges.
We are now in the final stages of preparing the book on Oriana and Aurora for the publishers. This is the slogging bit really. The text and captions are largely complete so it is dotting the I’s and crossing the t’s time. Then we have a brief break while it is laid out before proofing. This is perfectly timed (by accident) while I will be cruising on Adonia. I am really looking forward to trying this ship for the first time. I love smaller cruise ships and i have been on a couple of day visits while we were working on the P&O Cruises 175 book, so I do know my way around a little, but it will be lovely to sail on her, and of course, say hello to the many ex-Artemis officers and crew now working on board. Below are pictures of the elegant library and the sun deck.
